The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-02-18
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$3.50 Nfstt ANs&Atttttt AtAs4t ntt0teAN ~ -
slowed upon every important subject
brought before The Legislature are not often
given to Il. The time has come when q
greater and better consideration should be
given to matters OF vital public interest.
When we say public interest we mean The
relation the public bear to all interests de
yeloplng FOR lis future welfare. Taking Ii
Corporations and every industry. The plthy
Idea that every measure must be opposed
because Il calls for money, Il as silly ~ Il IL
crushing upon the member who expresses
II, for he knows not the agency Of money
Money Il not TO be buried. There Il no
funeral for money, that event belongs to
those who will restrain Il from public use
A sound discretion with personal indepen.
dence 70 declare II l. the parent Of the great.
est economy. When we hear mentioned
the meaningless cognomen, "rhe Bull Dog
of the Treasury" We are convinced that the
best protector OF the vault l. the more IN.
teiligent adjuster Of actual wants Of the pub.
Tic with strict economic use Of the means
to supply them q virtue the @lsulI dog"
never possessed. An Idea nc cannot com.
prehend. As writer observes aThe
reason OF the motion Of the balance In a
wheel.watch Is by motion OF the next
wheel" No .I3uli dog Of the Treasury"
ever comprehended this great Idea, though
80 simply illustrated. There must be ''rea.
son" In everything.
No local question has engrossed the atlen.
ton Of the people Of this valley TO the ex.
tent, In years past ~ the Locks have al the
falls. The Bin for their purchase at this
time was voted down twice Ia the House.
The States privilege TO buy them runs six
years longer. The price was $4ooooo or
perhaps "whas will you give for them"
With the 0 & Q running on either aide Of
the Willamette river the Narrow Gauge
crossing At Rays Landing and the o p
with It's traffic on the Upper Willamette BY
land and water, the State does not need the
locks. The ''old" portion l. nearly crying
for help. Years ago rods were put through
the piers and cribs to hold them up, but
wear and tear have done their work and Il
Is stated by one who knows that II viii take
$4,000 10 repair them and TO repair and
maintain the Locks larger sum. When
the p T Company had the river In iss hand,
In ''thoee COOL old days" their freights
amounted to not over 6osooo tons per an
mum. Now less than 10000 tons go through
the Locks per year. II this l. true and we
are assured that Il Is the Locks are no lon.
ger protection to the farmers Of this val.
ley. Especially 30 since railroads cannot
control their own rates. After all Il may
be that these railroads may want these
Locks to protect themselves By dItehlnx the
cars and taking to the river TO save them.
selves from being pressed into the vocation
BY unfriendIy Legislation. The State does
not want them. 40 least for the present
And those who refused them told wisely
Railroad Commission Bin passed the
Senate. This bill Is the substitute for Irv
ings and Dawsons s. B's. IS and ss. The
Beard Is TO be known as the State Board OF
Railroad Commissioner. And Il Il ~ fair
and just BIIl as could be adopted and cred.
table 10 its authors, both bills being merged
into one. There arc two Commissioners 70
be elected and taken from two candidates
receiving the highest number Of votes Of
the different political parties. The third 10
settle differences i the Governor. Salaries
OF Commissioners arc $ss0o per year. That
OF Clerk $4,000. Term Of Office four
years. Governor appoints until the cleo
ton with approval of the Senate. Office to
be In Salem and branch Office Ia Portland II
necessary. Must make biennial reports 70
Legislature showing working Of the rail-.
road system in the State with such recon-.
mendations ~ the condition OF the system
may suggest Consider claims made
against railroad companies, refer the same
70 companies interested have power 10
bring suit In these cases. No advice OF the
Board shall impair legal duties and oblIRa.
tions Of any railroad on It's legal liability Tor
the consequences Of It's acts, or neglect or
Encouragement OF any OF is servants.
When any director or person owing 100
part Of paid In capitol OF any railroad shall
petition, the board shall examine the book
and financial condition of said corporation
and shall cause the re4uIs 70 be published.
Every company Is required under penalty
Of 500 TO $500 to submit lie books, ETC., to
the inspection OF the Commission. Board
rides on free passes and can take with Them
experts or other agents. The reports of the
Commission will afford data for future
legislation that viii be no doubt just TO both
the people and these corporations and In
this view 1t Is quite a valuable Law.
The next important measure Is that q
Mr Weatherford permitting non.residents
to be minority directors In corporations,
In view of the want Of capital In mining
enterprises. and the unsettled condition oI
railroad rates these Bills from the Senators
qf Linn are really the leading measures Of
this session and will bring more wealth and
satisfaction to the people Of the State than
all measures in a lump. A prominent Re
publican In lucid moment made the vol
untary statement TO us that Senator Wealth
ertaSd was the ablest debator In the Senate
| True the Portland railroad bridge Is
great enterprise and had It not passed over
the veto Of the Governor the loss Of tn
Bill would have been a public calamity
As II Is, iaboring men OF every class vii
have work before them. The indignatioi
of Portland in the loss of this Bill woul,
have been beyond control and It's. inHuenc'
J would have been felt all over the State